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What’s On the Ballot in Acadiana

What’s On the Ballot in Acadiana

Tuesday is election day, with polls opening at 6 a.m. and closing at 8 p.m. In addition to the presidential election, the ballots in Acadiana include constitutional amendments, races for Congress and a number of local races and propositions. The runoff election is Dec. 8. The information below is from the Louisiana Secretary of State Office’s website.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

Proposed Amendment No. 1

To prohibit the Legislature or governor from taking money from the Medicaid Trust Fund for the Elderly to help balance the state’s operating budget.

Proposed Amendment No. 2

To provide that the right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental right and any restriction of that right requires the highest standard of review by a court. The amendment also would delete a line in the state Constitution that says the right to keep and bear arms shall not prevent the passage of laws to prohibit the carrying of concealed weapons.

Proposed Amendment No. 3

To require that bills affecting the state’s public retirement systems be filed no later than 45 days before the start of a regular legislative session — a month earlier than other types of legislation submitted prior to a legislative session — and to require public notice of such legislation no later than 60 days prior to the introduction of the bill, effectively doubling the public notice period for prefiled retirement bills.

Proposed Amendment No. 4

To allow the spouse of a deceased veteran who had a 100 percent service-connected disability rating to claim a higher homestead exemption on the next $75,000 of value on the property owned and occupied by the spouse, even if the exemption was not in effect at the time the veteran died.

Proposed Amendment No. 5

To allow courts to require forfeiture of a portion of public retirement benefits for those public servants convicted of a felony associated with their office.

Proposed Amendment No. 6

To allow New Iberia to grant city property tax exemptions for owners of properties annexed into the city after Jan. 1, 2013.

Proposed Amendment No. 7

To adjust the membership selection process of the constitutionally created boards and commissions that in large part base their membership on the state’s congressional districts: the Board of Regents, the boards of supervisors for the University of Louisiana System, the Louisiana State University System, the Southern University System, the State Civil Service Commission and the State Police Commission. After the 2010 Census, Louisiana lost one of its congressional districts, and now has only six districts. Under this amendment, after Jan. 3, 2013, as board members finish their terms, vacancies would be filled first from a congressional district that either is underrepresented or has no representation, and after each congressional district has equal representation, at-large members could be appointed.

Proposed Amendment No. 8

To allow the state Board of Commerce and Industry to grant local property tax exemption contracts to a targeted group of non-manufacturing businesses in parishes that choose to participate in the program.

Proposed Amendment No. 9

To increase the number of times that bills to create crime prevention and security districts must be advertised — on three days rather than two — and require that the notices state whether a parcel fee would be imposed and collected, whether the fee could be imposed or increased without an election, and what the maximum amount of the fee would be.

D = Democrat

R = Republican

L = Libertarian

O = Other party

N = No party

U.S. PRESIDENT

Ross Anderson, O

Jack Fellure, O

Virgil Goode, O

James Harris, O

Gary Johnson, L

Peta Lindsay, O

Barack Obama, D

Mitt Romney, R

Jill Stein, O

Sheila Tittle, O

Jerry White, O

U.S. CONGRESS

DISTRICT 3

Bryan Barrilleaux, R-Lake Charles

Charles W. Boustany Jr., R-Lafayette

Jeff Landry, R-New Iberia

Ron Richard, D-Lake Charles

Jim Stark, L-Lake Charles

DISTRICT 4

John Fleming, R-Minden

Randall Lord, L-Shreveport

DISTRICT 5

Rodney Alexander, R-Ruston

Ron Ceasar, N-Opelousas

Clay Steven Grant, L-Boyce

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

DISTRICT 2

Scott A. Angelle, R-Breaux Bridge

Greg Gaubert, N-Thibodaux

Sarah Holliday, R-Baton Rouge

Erich Ponti, R-Baton Rouge

Forest Wright, D-New Orleans

ACADIA PARISH

Arnaudville waterworks proposition

To continue a 10-year, 7-mill property tax, generating an estimated $37,100 a year, to maintain city’s waterworks and sewer system.

Eunice road proposition

To continue a 10-year, 5-mill property tax, generating an estimated $283,000 a year, to maintain streets.

Rayne Mayor

Roland Boudreaux, D

Cheryl Richard, D

Chuck Robichaux, R

Fire Protection District No. 8

To renew a 10-year $25 parcel fee, generating an estimated $16,750 a year, to pay for fire operations.

Mosquito Control Sales Tax District No. 3

(Excluding Crowley and Rayne)

To renew for 10 years a one-fourth of one percent sales and use tax, generating an estimated $720,000 a year, for the mosquito control program.

Parishwide school proposition

To limit the terms of school board members to three consecutive four-year terms.

EVANGELINE PARISH

School Board

DISTRICT 7

Buck Dupuis, D

Sheila Jason Joseph, D

Pine Prairie Chief of Police

L.C. Deshotel, D

Rick Ordner, D

Police Jury Ward No. 1

To renew a 10-year, 0.84-mill property tax, generating an estimated $44,921.67 a year, to maintain public cemeteries.

Parishwide communications district proposition

To renew a 10-year, 1.02-mill property tax, generating an estimated $227,785 a year, for the enhanced 911 emergency telephone system.

Parishwide school proposition

To limit the terms of school board members to three consecutive four-year terms.

Prairie Mamou Gravity Drainage District No. 8

To levy a 10-year, 3.5-mill property tax, generating an estimated $6,364 a year.

Road and Drainage Sales Tax District No. 1

To renew a 15-year, 2 percent sales tax, generating an estimated $4,023,685 a year, for roads and bridges.

Coulee Croche Gravity Drainage District No. 22 Proposition No. 2

Parishwide proposition

To renew a 10-year, 2.17-mill property tax, generating an estimated $474,650 a year, to operate and maintain public health units.

Sub-Road District No. 1 of Road District 3 of Ward 1 proposition

To renew a 10-year, 9.57 mill property tax, generating an estimated $47,000 a year, to improve and maintain roads and bridges.

Sub-Road District No. 1 of Road District 11A proposition

To renew a 10-year, 9.56 mill property tax, generating an estimated $191,060 a year, to improve and maintain roads and bridges.

Sub-Road District No. 2 of Road District 11A proposition

To renew a 10-year, 8.39 mill property tax, generating an estimated $142,450 a year, to improve and maintain roads and bridges.

ST. MARTIN PARISH

St. Martinville sales tax proposition

To rededicate a one percent sales and use tax, generating an estimated $1,350,000 a year, for any lawful purpose of the city, including the waterworks system, solid waste disposal facilities, sewerage, drainage, streets, bridges, sidewalks, public buildings and recreation facilities, and to allow the city to fund the tax revenues into sales tax bonds.

Parishwide school proposition

To limit the terms of school board members to three consecutive four-year terms.

Recreation District No. 1 Proposition

To renew a 10-year, 2.5-mill property tax, generating an estimated $39,300 a year.

Road District No. 2 Proposition

To renew a 10-year, 11.43-mill property tax, generating an estimated $1,035,000 a year, for roads and bridges.

ST. MARY PARISH

Morgan City Mayor

Larry P. Bergeron, D

Lee A. Dragna, N

Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi, N

Bart L. Mancuso, D

Kevin J. Voisin, D

Morgan City City Council

DISTRICT 1

Drue C. Clement, D

Tim Hymel, D

DISTRICT 3

Ron Bias, D

C.E. “Charlie” Pratt, N

DISTRICT 4

Ronald Berry, R

James Fontenot, R

DISTRICT 5

Mac R. Bruno, N

Louis J. Tamporello Jr., D

Parishwide school proposition

To limit the terms of school board members to three consecutive four-year terms.

VERMILION PARISH

Delcambre Mayor

Carol Broussard, D

Jeff P. LeBlanc, N

Delcambre Chief of Police

James Broussard, D

Brady Segura, D

Kaplan City Marshal

Celia Anne Langlinais, O

Bernadine LaPoint, D

Brodney Mouton Sr., D

Ruby C. Thibeaux, D

Parishwide school proposition

To limit the terms of school board members to three consecutive four-year terms.